Method and machine for assembling articles



Juflyfifi, W46. 1 J. E. UNDERWOOD 294959974 METHOD AND MACHINE FORASSEMBLING ARTICLES Filed April 12, 1943 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR.

Jam 6 if Farina/001i BY 177' TOIVNE Y July 3@, 146.

J. E. UNDERWOOD 2,405,0?4

Filed April 12, 1943 13 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

July 30, 1946 J. E; UNDERWOOD 2,405,074

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING ARTICLES Filed April 12 1943 15Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

WORNEX y 9, 1946. J. E. UNDERWOOD 2,405,074 v METHOD AND MACHINE FORASSEMBLING ARTICLES Filed April 12, 1943 13 Sheets-Sheet 4 48 1 Q r o Oo I a l a9 56 37 CI: 38 L" 31 f7 v II III o 0 45 a 24 J I L E 1 t July30, 1946. u woo 2,405,074

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING ARTICLES Filed April 12, 1943 13Sheets-Sheet 5 BY [(11116 if finder/m d 1 fi y fi HTTOKNEY J. E.UNDERWOOD 2,465,074

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING ARTICLES Filed April 12, 1943 15.SheetS -Sheet 7 INVENTOR. Jam s fllhiemwd nframvn July 194% J. E.UNDERWOOD 2,405,974

METHOD AND 'MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING' ARTICLES Filed April 12, 1943 15Sheets-Sheet 8 142 HTTORNEY y 1946. J. E. UNDERWOOD 2,405,074

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING ARTICLES Filed April 12, 1943 l5Sheets-Sheet 9 Q5 m k :2 a a a INVENTOR. Jilmas A Mule/wand July 30,1946.

J. E. UNDERWOOD METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING ARTICLES Filed April12, 1945 13 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTOR. James A flmera/oad July 30, 1946.J. E. UNDERWOOD METHQD AND MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING ARTICLES Filed April12, 1945 13 Sheets-Sheet 11 Y 1 lNVENTOR.

11m 1 Hfldem/wa July 30, 19416 J. E. UNDERWOOD A W METHOD AND MACHINEFOR ASSEMBLING ARTICLES Filed April 12, 1943 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 IN VENTOR.

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41110 jfzm wwaad BY July 30, 1946. J. E. UNDERWOOD METHOD AND MACHINEFOR ASSEMBLING ARTICLES Filed April 12, 1943 15 Sheets-Sheet l3 wmiINVENTOR. A? V/idrrwuwi Patented July 30, 1946 METHOD AND MACHIN E FORASSEMBLING ARTICL S James E. Underwood, Oakmont, Pa., assignor tAluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh,

lla a corporation of Pennsylvani Application April 12, 1943, Serial No.482,739

14 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in machines of the class adaptedto assemble a disc, wafer, washer or other shape made of relatively thinor pliable material with a receiving member. The problems to which theinvention is specifically directed are those attendant uponpositive,'accurate and relatively rapid assembly of thin metalwaferswith cup-like or tubular articles, but the principles of the inventionare useful in, and may be applied with equal facility to, the assemblywith another article of a shape composed of any thin, pliable ordifiicultly handled material, all of which shapes will be referred toherein and, in the appended claims, as thin shapes.

Among the more general objects of, the invention is the provision of amachine, and component parts thereof, which will operate continuou'slyand at a relatively high speed to perform an assembling operation; whichwill accurately and positively handle thin wafer-like parts; which willaccurately and positively handle relatively heavier parts of difierentor the same shape; which will maintain a constant flow to the point ofassembly of the parts to be assembled; which will bring all parts to thepoint of assembly in proper position and will there accurately positionthe parts with respect to each other; which will perform operations onthe assembly to unite the parts or otherwise permanently establish theassembled relationship and which will automatically and continuouslyinspect the finished assemblies and reject the imperfect. Among otherobjects is the provision of machines which will automatically andcontinuously perform all or a part of these indicated steps inpredetermined sequence without intervention of the operator.

ticular purpose, the various principles of this invention.

The machine shown in the appended drawings and herein specificallydescribed is designed to produce a detonator tube assembly. Two partsare to be assembled. One, the detonator cup, is tubular in form with anopen end and a partially closed end. The other is a foil waferadhesively treated on one side and cut, during the operation of themachine, to such size that it may be seated within the detonator cup inposition to completely close the partially closed end thereof. When soseated, with its adhesively treated side .in contact with the tube, thefoil wafer is adapt- A further object of the invention is the provisionofimproved machine assemblies and parts thereof adapted to perform,singly or in combination, the functions above enumerated. Another objectis the provision of an improved article handling system adapted topresent to a work station from an unoriented mass of cup-like or tubulararticles a flow of-said articles each in a predetermined orientedposition. Another object is the provision, in combination, of machineelements andpneumatic means adapted to furnish a shape from. a supply ofthin or pliable material and to thereafter positively and automaticallymaintain said shape in predetermined positions during handling andworking operations. Other and "further objects will appear in thefollowing description of a machine, and parts thereof, which embody inpreferred form and for a pared to be adhesively united to the tube, thusealing the partially closed end thereof. The elements of the machinewhich insure this result may be generally described as an articlehandling system including a hopper assembly and a feed assembly adaptedto feed detonator cups from the hopper to the machine in predeterminedoriented position, a foil supply and feed asembly adapted to feed foilfrom which said wafers may be cut to the operation and to removetherefrom scrap or unused foil, a turret assembly adapted to receivecups from the feed assembly and to present the cups to the various workstations, a die and punch assembly adapted to cut wafers from the foilsupply and to feed said wafers to the cups, 2. hot punch assemblyadapted to seal the wafer to the cup and if desired, an inspection unitadapted to search each detonator tube assembly to determine if it isproperly assembled to reject imperfect assemblies. These elements andvarious cooperating elements are all shown in the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a, machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is another side view of the machine at to the View of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view taken from above the machine as indicated at line 3-3on Fig. 1;

r Fig. 4 'is a horizontal section taken at the line 4-4 indicated onFig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section of the machine shown in Fig. 1taken at the line 5-5 indicated on Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a chine taken in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a Vertical section taken through the hopper of the machine, asindicated at line 1-1 on Fig. 1 with parts omitted;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the hopper with certain parts cut away toshow-detailthereof partial vertical section of the main a plane at 90 tothe section shown.-

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view through the turret also showingportions of other cooperating parts;

Fig. 14 is another view, partiallyin section, of said turret and itsdriving mechanism;

shaft 28. Speed reducer shaft 29 with its sprock et 35 drives shaft 3!through chain 32 and the sprocket 33. A clutch generally indicated at 34and actuated by handle 35 engages and disengages speed reducer sprocket30, thereby starting and stopping all elements driven thereby. Shaft 36is driven off shaft 3| through bevel gears 31 and 38. The free end-39 ofshaft 36 drives the foil rewind reel l'l through a friction clutch, notshown. A pump 40, designed to furnish vacuum or air to a pneumaticsystem through valve w ll, is driven through gears 42, 43 from the motorv driven end of the speed reducer shaft. Valve 4! Fig. 15 is a top viewof the transferslide as sembly;

Fig. 16 is a vertical sectional view, taken at line Iii-i6 on Fig. 15,of the transfer slide assembly and the lower part of the feed assembly;

Fig.1? is a View of the lower portion of the feed assembly, taken atline. l'l--l 'l on 16';

Fig. 18 is a vertical sectional view through the hot punch assembly; s 1Fig. 19 is an end view of the hot punch assembly, taken as indicated byline I9-l-l9 on Fig. 18: I

Fig. 20 is a verticalsectio'n through a portion of the .hot punchassembly, taken as. indicated by ,the 1ine-2il--2ilon Fig. 18; p

Fig. 21 is a representation of a detonator cup before assembly; 1

' Fig. 22 is a representation of the foil wafer which is to be assembledwith the detonator cup to form the final detonator tube;

Fig. 23 is a vertical section taken through the-foil feed mechanism;

Fig. 24 is a view taken at the line 24-24 as indicatedin Fig. 23; and

Fig.'25 is a view of the guide plate and its mounting taken in thedirection 'of. the arrows 25-25 in Fig. 8.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The general organization of the machine is best shown by Figs. 1, 2 and3. The machine is'carried by a frame most parts of which are generallyindicated by the numeral 1. ,Mounted on this frame is the articlehandling system consist ing of'the hopper 3 mounted on post 2, thetransfer tube 4, the turning mechanism 6, the chute mechanism 1 and thetransfer slide assembly [0. A work translating means such as turret 8,actuated by Geneva drive 9, is adapted to receive work at turret stationA and to present it to various assembly operations at stations B and C.A foil supply and feed system includes supply reel-l I from which thefoil l2 travels over rollers l3, M and I 5 through foil feed mechanisml6 over roller 5 to rewind reel I1. Mounted above turret 8 at station 13is the die and punch assembly l8. Mounted at station 0 is the hot punchassembly l9. Leading from turret station D (shown in Fig. 13) aretransfer tubes 20 which deliver finished assemblies from that station toan inspection unit 2|. A pneumatic system, not shown in detail,cooperates with various ofthese elements, as will be later described.

The driving mechanism of the-machine is best shown by reference to Figs.1, 2-, 4, 5, 6 and '7. A11 motive power is derived from .motor 22 whichdrives speed reducer 23 through belt .24 and the pulley shown. shaft 25of the speed reducer drives the hopper 3 through gears 26 and2l andisdriven by shaft 36 through gears 47, 48. Gears M, 55, 46 actuate theGeneva drive 9. The hot punchassembly i9 is reciprocated toward and awayfrom turret station C by linkage 5! which is actuated by eccentric 59mounted on shaft 3!. The transfer slide assembly I0 is reciprocatedtoward and away from turret station A by linkage 52 which is actuated byeccentric 5| mounted .on shaft 3|.v Gear 53 mounted at the.

end of shaft 31 drivesthe inspection unit 2| through chain 54 and gear53'.

The movable portions of die and punch assembly l8 and the knockout pins55, mounted, respectively, on slides 55, 51, are reciprocated toward andaway fromthe turret stations by link-' age 59 which is actuated byeccentric 58 mounted on shaft 36. Eccentric 60,.1ikewise mounted-onshaft 35,.actuates the foil feed mechanism l6. Turning mechanism 6 isdriven through pulleys Si, 52 and belt 63 from hopper driveshaft 28. Itwill be understood that the driving parts are coordinated to causesimultaneous action at all stations on the work simultaneously presentedto those stations by the work translating device.

Referring now to Figs. 7, 8, and 25, the hopper 3 consists of anarticle-receiving portion 64 fixed on post 2'. Parts 65 and are carriedby part 84 and, together with the rotatably mounted hopper ring parts67, 51', form an extension thereof. The articles placed in the receivingportion 64 are admitted to the extension thereof through opening 68which may be closed by means of a gate 69 supported for verticalmovementon rod 70, bracket H and handle [2. Finger [3 is rotatably mounted inthe bottom of receiving portion Mfand, ,by'means of knurled knob 74, maybe swung to facilitate passage of the cupsthrough the opening 68. Thehopper ring parts 51, 61' are adapted to include, in assembly, theselector such as a pin ring 15 which carries a multiplicity of pins '17mounted therein at the angle shown in'Fig. 8. It will be understood thatpins 11 are provided entirely around pin ring 16' andextending'inwardly, although for purposes of clarity only that pinadjacent the section line is shown in Fig. '7 and only a representativenumber of pinssufficient to show their spacing is shown in Fig. 8. Theguide plate and associated parts are also omitted from Fig. 7. Parts 61,67', and pin ring 16 are secured together as by bolts '18, and theassembly is fixedon shaft 19 which shaft is rotatably mounted in bearingportions Stand is driven by shaft 28'through the pinion 8i and gear 82.Guide plate 83 is formed of a central portion substantially concentricwith pin ring 16 (as shown in Fig. 8) and with its opposite ends84, B5turned inwardly therefrom. The guide plate is mounted for limitedmovement around axle 86 of guide bracket 81, its limited movement onsaid axle being positively governed by pin 88;which is positioned onguide bracket collar 89 and'extends within the cutaway por-f.

tion of guide plate end 84. The guide plate bracket 81 i secured to aboss 90 on hopper part 65. A spring 9I surrounds the axle of guidebracket 87 with one end 92 thereof fixed to the bracket and the otherend thereof bearing against a pin 93 on guide plate end 84 so that thespring tends to resist downward movement of the guide plate and toreturn it to normal position Where its'central portion is concentricwith pin ring "it. Mounted on the end of guide plate 83 is the flexiblefinger 94 and on the other end the bracket 95 upon which is carried theterminus 96 of transfer tube 3. In Fig. 8, the collar 89 (Fig. 25) isremoved to show the cutaway portion in guide plate end 34 to receive pin85, and in Fig. 25, the flexible finger 84 (Fig. 8) is removed forclearer showing of the guide plate mounting.

In operation, the cups, having been admitted from the cup-receivingportion of the hopper to the extension of the hopper through the opening68, tumble to the bottom of the hopper extension as the ring portionsare rotated by shaft "#9 and carry the pin ring i6 with them through themass of tumbling cups. In their travel, the pins TI enter the open ends98 of detonator cups 99 (see Fig. 21) and bear the cups upwardly in aclockwise direction, as shown at Fig. 8. There, as the rotation of thepin ring brings the pins toward an angle below the horizontal, the endsof the cups are contacted, and are held upon the pin, first by theflexible finger 34 and later by the central portion of the guide plate83, and the cups are thus continuously held upon said pins until theyreach the end 85 of the guide plate, at which time they lose contactwith the guide plate and fall by gravity into the terminus 96 oftransfer tube 4 and travel downwardly through said tube with the closedends of the detonator cup 99 in the forward position. In the event thata cup is wrongly seated upon a pin 71 or becomes canted thereon orotherwise tends to jam against the central portion of the guide plate83, damage is prevented as the guide plate yields by partial rotation 9!around the bracket axle 86, said spring returning the guide plate to itsoriginal position after the pressure is removed.

Detonator cups entering transfer tube 4 fall therethrough by gravity,their partiall closed ends forward, to the floor of the turningmechanism t, the details of which are best shown at Figs. 9 and 10. Theturning mechanism, positioned between the hopper 3 and chute mechanisml, provides for feeding the endwise-falling detonator cups into transferslot 91 in a sidewise position. For that purpose the turning mechanismconsists of a wheel Hi2 fixed upon a shaft 63 which is rotated by meansof pulley 62 fixed on the end thereof, belt 63 (see Fig. 2) and thepulley 6i mounted on hopper drive shaft 28. Carried by wheel Hi2 arefingers I01 which are yieldingly, but firmly, held by springs I08against the floor 599 of the circular chamber. The housing plates Iii]are cut to form a slot 91 leading from its aperture in the floor of thetransfer chamber to the multiple chute chamber H2. The detonator havingbeen oriented by the selector 56 and delivered thereby to transfer tube4 in oriented position with their closed ends forward, pass through thetube in end-to-end position, the shape and size of the tube 4 being suchas to maintain an end-to-end flow. They are thus singly delivered to thefioor I09 of the transfer chamber where housing plate I It forms anabut.-

against the spring ment to limit the forward motion of each cup as itfrees itself of the transfer tube 4 and thus leave the cup on the fioorat the position X indicated in Fig. 9. In this position the cup liesacross the travel of members I01 each of which has an end portion shapedto receive the cup. The outlet from the chamber to passage it? affordsmeans positioned in the path of travel of the fingers it? to receive andremove the cups from the chamber as they are swept across the floor bysaid fingers, and the passageway 97 and chamber H2 are so proportionedas to maintain the cups in the side-by-side relationship established bytheir flow through this aperture. Thus, the end- 7,

to-end flow of the cups originally established in tube 4 is terminatedand the flow re-established in side-by-side position without, however,change in the orientation of the cups originally fixed by the selectorhopper to present the perforate bottom of the cup toward the station towhich the cups are travelling. The bottom portion of multiple chutechamber I I2 is divided, as shown in Figs. 2, 9 and 15, but best shownin Fig. 1'7, into five cup feeding passages by the dividers or fingersH3, H3. Each of said passages terminates at a fixed position H4. Thedetonator cups fall into the chamber IE2 from where the pass into thefive cup feeding slots, the lowest cup in each slot lying in theterminus position H4. Fingers H3 are carried upon cross bar III whilethe fingers H3 are carried upon cross bar III. These ross bars aremounted on housing plate IIO for vertical movement with respect thereto,and the end of each cross bar is provided with a roller lit. The crossbars are held together in normal position through the medium of springloaded bolts i H. The cross bar rollers IIS are so arranged that a wedgeor pin, such as agitator pin I it, forced between said rollers, willseparate the cross bars against the action of the springs on bolts IT,thus moving fingers I I3 apart from fingers I I3 and imparting movementto the mass of cups lying in the, chamber II2, which movementfacilitates passage of the cups into the cup-feeding slots. The cups,lying in the bottom of the cup-feeding slots in position to be fed tothe turret mechanism, present their closed ends I00 toward the turret 8at turret position A, this orientation of the cups having been achievedby the turning means above described, which, while changing the downwardtravel of the cups from an endwise fall to a sidewise fall, does notdisturb the disposition of the cups originally established on deliveryto transfer tube 4.

The turret 8 has positioned on its periphery a number of cup-receivingchucks I20 in each of which are provided the cup-receiving apertures I53 (as best shown in Fig. 14). When a chuck I20 is presented at turretstation A these apertures have the same axis as the termini I I4 of thefive cup slots which lie at the bottom of the multiple chute i i 2. Cupsare periodically transferred from their position at termini I I4 to theapertures I43 of a turret chuck I 20 by the transfer slide assembly I0.

Transfer assembly !0, shown at Figs. 1, 3, 6 and 13 but best shown atFigs. 15 and 16, consists of a carriage I2 I mounted on frame 5 forperiodic translation toward and away from turret station A by thelinkage 52 which is actuated by eccentric 5| mounted on shaft 3|. RodsI23, corresponding in axial position and number to cup chute termini II4 and to turret chuck apertures I43, are mounted in said carriage. Eachsuch rod consists of a forwardly extended portion and a rearwardlyextending portion and of a slide bearing portion I25 which latter ispositioned in rod chamber IN and normally held at oneend thereof byspring I28. Mounted on the carriage is bracket I29 which carries theagitator pins II8 whose function, as above described, is to pass betweenrollers H and cause separation of the cross bars which carry fingers II3 and H3 in-the multiple chute assembly. The ends of these pins I I8are notched, as shown at I30, to agitate the rollers as they passtherebetween, thus imparting a jerking movement to the cross bars andthe fingers attached thereto. In Fig. 17 which is otherwise a view online Il--I'I of Fig. 16, the agitator pins IIS and transfer rods I23 areshown in 7 advanced position. Likewise mounted on transfer slidecarriage I2I by means of brackets I3I and pin I32 is the pivoted arm I33which is normally positioned, by action of spring I34, as shown in Fig.16, to place its downwardly extending portion I35 directly behind therearward ends of the pins I23. Mounted separately of the assembly IIIand on fixed bracket H9 is switch I35 which carries switch arm I31 onswitch shaft I33. Switch arm roller I39 is adapted to be contacted bythe surface I45 of the arm I33 when it is raised against the action ofthe spring I34.

In its normal cycle, the transfer slide assembly In going forward fromthe position shown'at Figs. and 16 brings its rods I23 through aperturesin the chute housing into the cups 99 which lie in termini II4. Undercontinued forward motion the rods contact the semi-closed ends I00 ofsaid cups and carry the cups through apertures I4I into thecup-receiving apertures I43 of that chuck I25 which is, at that moment,positioned at turret station A. Simultaneously the agitator pins IISpassing through the apertures I42 in the multiple chute housing IIIIcontact and pass between the rollers H5, thus causing relative movementof fingers H3 and H3, as above described, and facilitating movement ofthe cups into the cup slots therebetween. At the end of this operationthe transfer slide assembly is again returned by linkage 52 to itsoriginal starting position from where the cycle is again repeated as thenext chuck I23 is indexed at turret station A. If a cup lying in the cupchute termini H4 is bent or otherwise damaged or is wrongly positionedso as to prevent the free passage thereinto of a transfer rod I23, therod yields backwardly against the action of spring I28 until itsrearward portion contacts the downwardly extending portion I35 of thearm I33, thus raising the arm into contact with the roller of the switcharm I31 and tripping the switch I36 to stop the machine and allowremoval of the offending cup. The downwardly extending portion I35 isnotched to allowthe upper pair of rods I23 the same clearance as thelower three rods as shown in Fig. 2 and by the dotted line in Fig.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 5, 6 and particularly to Figs. 13 and 14, theturret 8 is actuated by a conventional Geneva drive 9, indicated by theGeneva wheel I04 and the driving gears 44, 45, 45,

' to momentarily index and halt the chucks at successive positionscounterclockwise including operation stations A, B, C, and D and thestations intermediate thereof. Each turret chuck I23 is, as abovedescribed, provided with a number of cup-receiving apertures I43 (fiveas here shown). Passages I44 connect the bottom of each such apertureI43 with the interior of the turret 8.

Movement of the turret successively presents a chuck I20 to station A toreceive the detonator cups, to station B to receive the foil wafers, tostation C to present the work to the hot punch assembly I9 and tostation D where the finally assembled detonator tubes are discharged,with the help of knockout pins 55, into transfer tubes 20. Duringthe'rotation of the turret, the inner turret surface I45 continuallycontacts stationary vacuum shoe I46 which is fixed against turretsurface I45 (by means of bracket-carried pin I41, arms I48 and springsI49) to cover that segment of the inner turret surface which is, at anygiven moment, at and included between stations B and C. Thus means arefurnished whereby vacuum may be maintained in the vacuum chambers I50and I5I formed by the vacuum shoe and turret surface I45 when thepassages I44 are. sealed by an impervious article seated in thecup-receiving apertures I43 in which said passages terminate. Positionedat the intermediate turret station midway between station D and stationAis an air feed mechanism I 52 which furnishes a continued air blastthrough the passages I44 and apertures I43 to clean foreign mattertherefrom. Plate I53 positioned between turret station C and turretstation D is concentric with the turret periphery and prevents'loosedetonatorcups from falling from the chucks during movement between thesestations. Parts I54 and I54 form a guide to govcm the fall of such cupsas are not, for one reason or another, well seated in chuck aperturesI43 by the action of the transfer assembly.

Foil wafers (shown in Fig. 22) which are to be preliminarily seated inthe detonator cups at station 13 and finally cemented thereto at stationC, are cut from a supply of foil furnished to the a cutting die andpunch at station B. The particulars of this i'oil supply will now bedescribed with reference to Figs. 1, 3, 6, 23, and 24.

The foil is supplied to the machine from the undriven foil reel I Iwhich rotates to deliver foil I2 only when foil feed mechanism I6 pullsthe foil. Foil reel I'I, constantly driven off shaft 36 through afriction clutch, rewinds the foil matrix from which the foil wafers havebeen cut. The general path of the foil is from reel II, under roller I5,thence above turret station B where the cutting of the wafers takesplace, thence through foil feed mechanism I3, over idle rolle 5 andfinally onto reel I'I. Sincecutting of the foil takes placeintermittently as each turret station is indexed at station B, the foilfeed action is likewise intermittent so that the foil will be stationaryduring the cutting operation at static-n B and will move forward at theend of that operation to present to the next cutting operation, as thenext turret chuck is indexed at station B, a new uncut portion of foil.To this end the foil feed means I5, which is supported by bracket I55,in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, includes a knurled foildrivingroller I55 against which the foil is held by the rubber roller I51,carried on shaft I6I', which is carried, with weight I58 on bracket I59.This assembly of rubber roller and weight may be lifted, when desired,by handle I80. The axle I6I, upon which is fixed th'e knurled rollerI55, has fixed on one end a ratchet I52 upon which lie dogs I63 carriedon a frame I64 adapted to be oscillated around axle I6I by linkage I55which is, in turn, actuated by eccentric 60 on shaft 35. Thus, the dogsI63, which are held in engagement with the ratchet I62 by springs I56,are adapted, upon movement of frame I64, to turn axle I6I atpredetermined in- I tervals through a predetermined arc, thus positivelyrotating knurled roller I56 and advancing the foil a predetermineddistance. It will be readily understood that the foil feed mechanismjust described jerks the foil feed intermittently, at predeterminedintervals, thereby playing out foil from reel ii and causing slackbetween the feed mechanism and reel I7, which latter, being constantlydriven, promptly reels up the slack foil. To prevent this jerking actionfrom unwinding from reel II more foil than is used, coacting rollers I3and It are provided on bracket I67. Floating roll I3 is journalled inbracket slot I68 so that it may move upwardly as the foil is advanced toresist the foil advancing action, thus avoiding transmission of theinitial tensioning shock to "suppl reel II. Once the foil is advancedand the tension imparted by the feed mechanism is terminated, roller I3gradually falls under its own weight to the bottom of slot I63,unreeling as it falls sufficient foil from reel II to allow of thismovement. Idle rollers I 5 and 5 are conveniently located for thepurpose of guiding foil I2 in its indicated path. Foil I2 is adhesivelycoated on one side and is wound on the reel I I with its adhesivelycoated surfaces outward so that said surface is presented downwardly atturret station E.

Located at and above turret station B is the die and punch assembly I9which provides a means for cutting the foil wafers and placing the cutwafer in detonator cups held in turret chucks its as said chucks arepresented to station B. Assembly I8 is carried on slide 56 and crossheadI69 and is adapted to be reciprocated toward and away from turretstation B by linkage 59 actuated by eccentric 53 mounted on shaft 36(Fig. 5). The die and punch assembly consists of punches 17d (here shownas five in number) positioned in axial alignment with die apertures I'IIin the die plate 72 and with the cup-receiving apertures 23 in theturret chuck I2fi (see Fig. 13). Chambers E73 in punches I79 areprovided to admit air or vacuum to the work, which air or vacuum issupplied to said chambers through duct I74 and chambers I75. Stationaryblock I77 fixed to the machine frame I, as is die block I72, by boltsI78, forms with the die block a passage I79 through which passes foilI2. Attached to crosshead IE9 is cam plate I76. Mounted in stationaryblock I1? for vertical movement is the die stripper plate I80 which isforced downwardly by action of springs I SI when the crosshead and punchassembly is moved toward the die, thus clamping the foil strip firmlyagainst the die block for the punching operation. As the punches areretracted upwardly, the surface of the upwardmoving cam plate lit pushescam followers I92 outwardly (as shown in Fig. 11), thus raising leverarms 583 against springs IBI. The cupreceiving apertures M3 in theturret are accurarely aligned with the punches and there maintainedthroughout the punchin operation by indexing arrangement consisting ofpin and aperture I85. In operation, the foil, after having been advancedthrough passage I79 by the foil feed means above described, comes to ahalt before a turret chuck I253 is completely indexed at station B. Thecrosshead I69 and its punches I79 are then lowered causing stripperblock I89 to press the foil against the die plate I72 a the punches cutthrough the foil and carry the foil wafers thus cut and seated on theirends through the die apertures I'II beyond the die plate and into thebottom of cups 99 seated in the chuck.

that the vacuum i broken in The final position of the punch in itsutmost lowered position is shown in Fig. 13. During downward travelofpunches I70, vacuum is applied in punch chambers I73 thus insuring thatthe foil wafers when out will adhere to the ends of the punches and becarried thereby to the lower ends of the cups. The vacuum is terminatedas the punches reach the lower end of their travel and is replaced by anair blast which displaces the wafers from the punches and forces theminto position in the cups 99, thereby sealing the perforated bottoms ofthe cups the perforations of which are in register with the passagewaysI44 which connect the apertures to the vacuum chamber I 59. Atapproximately the same time the punches and air is applied, the vacuumchamber I 59 formed by the vacuum shoe I46 and inner turret wall I issupplied with vacuum to firmly hold the wafers against the bottoms ofthe cups. However, during the downward travel of the punches and duringthe cutting operation no vacuum is maintained in chamber I559 lest thefoil wafers be drawn away from the ends of the punches before thepunches have completed their downward travel. On the other hand, in thechamber I5I, likewise formed between the vacuum shoe and the inner wallof the turret, the vacuum is constantly maintained to insure that thefoil wafers will be firmly held in the bottoms of the cups as a turretchuck indexes through the intermediate station to station C and duringoperations at station C.

At station C is positioned the hot punch assembly IS, the constructionand general operation of which will now be described with referenceparticularly to Figs. 18-20, inclusive, and Fig. 13. The hot punchassembly is mounted on plate I89 which is adapted to be reciprocatedtoward and away from turret station C on slide plate I93 by linkage 59actuated by eccentric 49, the latter bein mounted on shaft SI. The hotpunch assembly consists of hot punches I9I (here shown as five innumber) which are in axial alignment and in like number with thecup-receiving apertures of a chuck I 26 indexed to station C and arelike- Wise in like number and axial alignment with the apertures I92 inthe stripper plate I93 which is fixed, as shown, by brackets I94 on theslide plate I90. Heating elements 595 disposed in punch block I 96maintain a proper predetermined temperature in block and punch. Suitableelectric connections, generally indicated at I97, furnish electricalenergy to the resistor type heating elements. Rods I99, restrainedagainst unlimited forward movement under the action of the springs I99by collars 251i bearing on wall ZOI, are positioned immediately behindeach of said hot punches I9I and maintain the punches in workingposition, as shown in Fig. 18. In operation the hot punch assemblyadvances as the turret chuck indexes and dwells at station C. Thepunches pass through the apertures I92 in the stripper plate I 93 andthence into the cup 99 and against the foil wafer I i5 positioned at thebottom thereof and there held by vacuum from chamber I5I. The heat andpressure thus furnished by the punch acts upon the coat of adhesivepositioned on that side of the foil wafer which contacts the bottom ofthe cup and firmly cements said foil wafer to the detonator cup bottom.The pressure exerted by the hot punch tends to move the punch backwardagainst the action of the spring loaded rods I98 which firmly butyieldingly, as to prevent breakage or damage to the Work, hold thepunches in position against 11 the foil wafer. At the end of a shorttime the hot punch assembly is reciproca-ted away from the turret, thestripper plate I93 insuring that the assembly of detonator cup and foilwafer, which sometimes adheres to the hot punch, is not withdrawn fromthe turret chuck.

Knockout pins 55 mounted on slide 51 (see Fig. operate after a turrethas indexed at station D to push the now assembled detonator tube fromthe chuck and into the transfer tubes 20 which, as shown, lead to theinspection unit but which, if desired, may lead to a convenientreceptacle if an inspection unit is not used. Said knockout pins are inaxial alignment and in like number with the passages I44 which lead fromthe bottom of the apertures I43 to the inner wall of the turret. Theknockout pin movement is actuated by the same means and is simultaneouswith the movement of the punches I which operate at station B.

Thus, the machine, to the extent specifically described above, comprisesmeans for selecting cups or similar articles from a mass thereof, meansfor orienting said cups in a position consistent with future workthereon, means for transferrin the oriented cups to a work carryingmeans, means for preparing and preliminarily assembling with said cups ashape made of thin material, means for completing the assembly and meansfor delivering the assembled articles from the operation. All of saidmeans act in the order named and automatically. In a mechanism of thischaracter, where, as is the case in the particular example chosen, thefinal assembly must be positive and without defect, it is important thatthe machine likewise inspect the assembled items to reject those whichare improperly assembled. To that end an inspection unit, such as thatindicated at 2|, to which the completed assemblies are delivered throughtransfer tubes may be used. Such an inspection unit may take severalforms, and the type of said unit forms no part of the present invention.A preferred type of unit is that described and claimed in my copendingapplication, Serial No. 531,685, filed April 18, 1944, which is adivision of this application.

Summarizing the action of the machine with reference to the passagetherethrough of a single cup, the cup 99 is fed into hopper portion 64and is gated into the hopper extension where it is selected by a pin 11traveling on pin ring 15. From there it is led in the manner abovedescribed to the point 85 (Fig. 8) where it falls endwise with itspartially closed end forward into terminus 06 and passes throughtransfer tube 4 to the turning mechanism 6 (Figs. 9 and 10) where it iscontacted by a finger I01 and pushed into transfer chute 91 where itdrops into chute chamber I I2 and is classified by the fingers I I3- II3into one of the chutes whose termini are represented at II4 (Fig. 17).At thi point, a chuck I20 on turret 8 having indexed at station A, thetransfer mechanism I0 is moved forwardly where transfer rod I23 contactsthe semi-closed end I00 of the cup lying in chute terminus H4 andcarries the cup through aperture I II into cup-receiving aperture I43 ofchuck I20. The transfer mechanism I0 then moves backwardly leaving thecup positioned in the chuck aperture. The turret 8 is now moved by theGeneva mechanism until the turret chuck carrying said cup has indexed atstation B it being understood that operations at stations A, B, C and Dat turret 8 are simultaneously performed on the cups respecill) tivelypresented to those stations and that the chuck containing the cup whosetravel is now in question had been preliminarily indexed at the stationintermediate A and B. The chuck having indexed at station B, thecrosshead I69 bearing punches I10 descends cutting from foil I2 a wafer.To facilitate the cutting operation, a lubricant may be previouslysupplied to the metallic vfoil surface by some device such as lubricatinpad I81 held by clamp I85 (Fig. 6). As the punch descends, vacuum isfurnished thereto through duct I14 and punch chamber I13, and by reasonof said vacuum the foil wafer, as cut, is held firmly on the end ofpunch I10 until that punch substantially reaches the full length of itsstroke, at which time vacuum is terminated in the punch and an air blastsubstituted to blow the foil wafer from the punch and to seat it in thebottom of the cup. Simultaneously, vacuum is formed in chamber I50 whichlies directly beneath station B and which communicates with aperture I43of chuck I20 through aperture I44. Vacuum is furnished to chamber I50through inlet I22 and said vacuum continues while the punch is withdrawnand until passage I44 of the turret chuck con-. taining the newlyassembled cups is in communication with chamber I5I, at which timevacuum is terminated in chamber I50 preparatory to the next operation.The control of vacuum cycle in vacuum shoe chamber I50 and punch chamberI13, as well as the control of the air blast in chamber I13, is by meansof rotary valve M which is constantly driven off shaft 36 (Fig. 4).During the passage of turret chuck I20 from station B to station 0 andduring operation at station C, the foil Wafer cut and seated in the cupat station B is firmly held in the bottom thereof, first, by means ofthe vacuum in vacuum shoe chamber I50 and later by means of the vacuumin vacuum shoe chamber I5I which vacuum is constant and'is furnishedthrough port I24 (Fig. 13). The preliminarily assembled cup and foilwafer having been carried to station C and having cometo rest at thatpoint, the hot punch assembly I9'moves forward pressing hot punch I9Ifirmly against a wafer I05 and adhesively securing said wafer to thebottom of said cup by means of the heat and pressure of the punch andthe adhesive coating on the foil. This operation being, complete, thehot punch assembly continues in the chuck to station D where, if it doesnot fall by gravity into transfer tubes 20, it is pushed from the chuckby the action of knockout tubes 55. The finished assembly falls downwardthrough transfer tubes 20 which deliver either to a receptacle or, asherein specifically shown, to an inspection unit 2I where, if desired,the assembly may be inspected to determine whether the sealing operationhas been properly effected. This completes the operation.

It will be apparent from theforegoing description that the inventiontherein described and hereafter claimed may be'embcdied in machines andmethods for performing assembly operations other than those specificallydescribed, and that the construction of the various parts may be widelyvaried without departing from the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

r 1. In a machine for assembling, at a number of stations and in asequence of steps, a. thin shape in the perforate bottom of a cup-likearticle, said machine including an article receiving station, anassembly station and a uniting station at which the assembled parts arepermanently joined, in combination, a work translating device positionedto successively present work to said stations, apertures positioned insaid device and adapted to receive the articles, mean for seating saidarticles in said apertures at the article receiving station, meanspositioned at the assembly station to seat the thin shape on theperforate bottom of said article, a vacuum chamber associated with saidtranslating device an means connecting said apertures to said chamber tosupply vacuum to said apertures during the movement of the worktranslating device from the assembly station to the uniting stationwhereby the thin shape is maintained seated on the bottom of saidarticle. 7 V

2. In a machine for assembling. at a number of stations and in asequence of steps, a thin shape in the perforate bottom of a cup-likearticle, said machine including an article receiving station, anassembly station and a uniting station at which the assembled parts arepermanently joined, in combination, a turret having on its peripheralsurface article receiving apertures, said turret being mounted topresent the articles carried therein to various of said stations, achamber, means for creating vacuum in said chamber, passages adapted toconnect said chamber to said apertures when the apertures are presentedto the assembly station, to a subsequent station and during traveltherebetween, said passages terminating in said apertures at positionsregistering with the perforations in the bottom of an article seated inan aperture.

3. In a machine for assembling, at a number of stations and in asequence of steps, a thin shape in the perforate bottom of a cup-likearticle, said machine including an article receiving station, anassembly station and a uniting eta tion at which the assembled parts arepermanently joined, in combination, a turret ring mounted to rotateabout a fixed point and previded with article receiving apertures in itsperipheral surface, a fixed shoe cooperating with the inner surface ofthe turret ring to form a chamber, passages extending from the bottom ofthe turret apertures through the inner surface of said ring and adaptedto connect said apertures to said chamber as the apertures register withsaid chamber during rotation of said ring, and means for creating avacuum in said chamber.

4;. In a machine for assembling, at a number of stations and in asequence of steps, a thin shapein the perforate bottom of a cup-likearticle, said machine including an article receiving station, anassembly station and. a uniting station at which the assembled parts arepermanently joined, in combination, a turret ring mounted for rotationaround a fixed point to deliver to said stations work seated inapertures cut in the outer surface of said ring, means 10-- cated atarticle receiving station to seat said articles in said apertures, meanslocated at the assembly station to seat said thin shapes on the bottomsof said articles, means located at said uniting station to permanentlyaffix said shape to the bottom of the article, fixed means forming withthe turret ring a chamber at the assembly station and connecting meansconsisting of passages extending from the bottom of the turret aperturesto the inner surface of the turret ring to provide a connection betweensaid apertures and said chamber as the turret positions the apertures atthe assembly station.

5. In a machine for assembling, at a number of stations and in asequence of steps, a thin shape in the perforate bottom of a cup-likearticle, said machine including an article receiving station, anassembly station and a uniting station at which the assembled parts arepermanently joined, in combination, a turret ring mounted for rotationaround a fixed point to deliver to said stations work seated inapertures cut in the outer surface of said ring, means located at thearticle receiving station to seat said articles in said apertures, meanslocated at the assembly station to seat said thin shapes on the bottomof said articles, means located at said uniting station to permanentlyafiix said shape to the bottom of the article, fixed means forming withthe turret ring a chamber at the assembly station, similar. fixedforming with the ring a vacuum chamber coinciding with a substantialportion of the arc of travel of the turret between the assembly stationand the uniting Station and at the latter and connecting meansconsisting of passages leading from the bottoms of the turret aperturesto the inner surface of the turret to provide connections between saidapertures and said chambers at the assembly station and at the unitingstation and over a substantial portion of the travel of the aperturestherebetween.

6. In a machine for assembling, at a number of stations and in asequence of steps, a thin shape in the perforate bottom of a cup-likearticle, said machine including an article receiving station, anassembly station and a uniting station at which the assembled parts arepermanently joined, in combination, a turret ring mounted for rotationaround a fixed point to deliver to said stations work seated inapertures cut in the outer surface of said ring, means located at thearticle receiving station to seat said articles in said apertures, meanslocated at the assembly station to seat said thin shapes on the bottomsof said articles, means located at said uniting station to permanentlyailix said shape to the bottom of the article, fixed means forming withthe turret ring a chamber at the assembly station, similar fixed meansforming with the ring a vacuum chamber coinciding with a substantialportion of the arc of travel of the turret between the assembly stationand the uniting station and at the latter, connecting means consistingof passages leading from the bottoms of the turret apertures to theinner surface of the turret to provide connections between saidapertures and said chambers at the assembly station and at the unitingstation and over a substantial portion of the travel of the aperturetherebetween, means to maintain a constant vacuum in the second namedchamber and valvular means to intermittently maintain a vacuum in thefirst named chamber at predetermined intervals.

'7. In an assembly machine having a plurality of work stations forassembling in a sequence of steps a thin shape with a perforatedcup-like article, in combination, a work translating device adapted toreceive said article at one station and to thereafter present it tosuccessive stations including an assembly station and a subsequentuniting station, means for seating said thin shape over said perforationin said article at the assembly station, and pneumatic means associatedwith said translating device and adapted to create reduced pressure atthe perforation in the cup-like article to maintain the shape andarticle in assembled relationship during translation of the assembledwork from the assembly station to the uniting station.

8. In an assembly machine having a plurality

